12/23: Fa Ra Ra Ra Rahh, Ra Ra, Ra Rahhh

Ho, Ho, Ho!!! Merry LHE Christmas!


So its Christmas time and the poker games seems to be steadily gaining momentum towards the end of the year. Capitol is now running a couple of promotions with their new players card system which gives $1/hr comps which should be pretty good for food over the upcoming sessions. They are giving away a 2011 Ford Mustang, 3 Poker Cruise Packages, and a bunch of cash. The drawing is 2/19/2011. You qualify for a ticket when you have a full house or better. Personally, I would just like to see them go back an add $1k to the BBJ everyday instead of saving up for this promotion. But w/e I hope I/Nik/SD win some portion of this.

I did sneak in a small blargh session last night for like 4ish hours. Nothing really to report. I only played no joke 6 hands preflop. QQ 2x, AK 2x, A9s, and TT. Thats it. I did have a pretty awesome 4/8 table it started out with lots of limps pre followed with lots of maniac-type flop and turn play.

As the night went on there, the flop play was transferred to pre-flop and it was just crazy. There were roughly 4 straight maniacs, which is 2 too many imo. I usually like 2 maniacs because they usually clash with each other, but with 4, that is kinda nuts.

Well, all in all I ended up dusting off a rack due to 1 pot where I got rivered in a kill for a $200 pot, aye yahhhh. I might make an appearance tonight when Nik and SD are playing till tomorrow morning, fucking degens, lolz.

TP: -$96
TSP: 4hrs
BB/hr: -3BB/hr.

Merry Christmas, and it is Christmas and not Happy Holidays.

12/18: "This is the greatest LHE game in the world!"

So after taking the dog to the vet and finding out he had a case of "buffet stomach" from eating shit-tons of food because his food bag was open, I made it down to Capitol to play some limited hold'em. I had txt'd both Nik and SD earlier in the day and put the word out. Tommy said he would def be down to play, Nik was 50/50.

I walked into the cardroom and who'd a thunk it, they were both there. Tommy at 4/8 and Nik at 6/12. Nik looked meh, and he said he was stuck a bit and grinding it out. Tommy said the same at his table. A new table opened shortly and I took my seat with a bunch of LPPs and some reg's which I have put in some hours with in the past. need less to say I was very comfortable with my table lots of limping and check calling flops. All in all the table make up was OK, not great, not terrible. I played there, as I was fully intending to play 6/12 for a good while.

I think I chopped 1 pot and won another and after about an hour I was roughly even minus my omelet. I was 2nd on the 6/12 and was hoping to be called soon. Observing Nik's table it was pretty prime. A couple spazzes, an off shift dealer, a white laggy guy who would make some odd plays, Nik, older women who like to pay people off with all sorts of hands and then Davin Anderson. Davin is a pretty decent guy, for those of you who don't remember, he is the dude who was on the intro of the WSOP ME coverage who says, "This is greatest tournament in the worrrrrrrld!!!!"


Davin finished 25th in the 2004 WSOP Main Event and had been playing professionally in AC for quite sometime before coming to the west coast. Neat guy, kinda crazy, opened J8os in EP vs a straddle. But none the less he is definitely a solid player.

I take the 5 seat, to the left of Davin, Nik and this older guy Wayne who plays really good, or really bad. I haven't seen an in between with him. I loved my position at the table. It was a slow day and I either had premium hands or shit hands. Early on, I held with KK in a capped 5 way pot.

After that I had AA firmly planted in my anus by the laggy white guy who CR'd the turn on a paired board or KQ7K. From the looks of things, Nik was not holding at all and he finally was starting to turn it around and won some really nice pots finally hitting some draws and holding against the minefields.

At this point I am up about 70ish and get dealt AK of diamonds UTG and open, Suzanne the quite attractive off shift dealer calls 2 cold, and it is folded to Davin on the button who 3-balls, blinds fold I cap, and both Suzanne and Davin call.

I have played with Suzanne, and she plays any decent hand for a raise so and pocket pair, and hands like ATs, JT+ and any two face cards are definitely in her range. Davin, definitely had noticed that I wasn't playing too many hands at all so for him to 3-bet I am pretty sure he is not having trash in his range. I put him on 88+ and AJ+ which is less likely because I hold an ace.

So the flop comes J7x w/ 2 diamonds. I lead the flop and both call. I am particularly worried about Suzanne, but Davin I am concerned with. with the flop being containing the flush draw I would expect him to raise with an overpair or a set here. Him just calling makes me think that I am going to get popped on the turn if a diamond doesn't come off.

The turn is the T of diamonds making me the nuts, I bet again and am only called by Davin. the river brings an offsuit Q which does make some straight and I was hoping this maybe hit him and he would raise. That was asking too much, he just calls and says this is probably a bad beat. He did flash Aces to Nik and then mucked. I didn't expect that at all. I really figured he would raise an overpair and sandwich in the 3rd player.

After that there was really not much to report from the 6/12 game. Nik ended up leaving to go to work about 30 minutes later. I shipped him his secret santa gift of Red Dead Demption - Undead Nightmare and a 12-pack of...


Tommy text me and asked me to come sit with him a 4/8 for a bit so I did. The 6/12 game was getting a little slow because 2 people were eating and a few people were just kind of milling about not really playing any hands. I said fuck it, and racked up my $130+ profit and took the seat immediately on Tommy's left.

Tommy looked to still be hovering about a rack down at this point and just couldn't hit a hand. Well that was about to change. After me losing with JJ against 2 opponents on a Q-high board which I got to show down for free on the river which was nice, Tommy, a few others and I got involved in a 4 way capped preflop pot where I flopped top two w/ AK and then got turned by Tommy when he hit is set of jacks, oh well. Nice hand, if you were wondering he was getting 21:1 there, basically warranting a call with a gum wrapper and a uno card.

After that hand, I had blasted through close to all of my profit at 6/12. I was about to leave when I mistakenly raised TT UTG in a kill pot and got called by 4 people which was nice. I bet all the way and was good so that brought me back to even for the 4/8 session.

Tommy has been on a bit of a downswing lately and has needed to run better. He finally did just that and had some hands hold and eventually posted a winner for the session. I racked up an orbit later after getting 67suited snapped off by a turned 2 pair when I flopped top pair and a flush draw oh well, that's life.

Totals for the day were:

TSP: 6hrs
4/8: -$55
6/12: +135
TP: +80.

See you all next week, I only work 3 days, wooooot!!!

Short aside, its called a Christmas Party, not a Holiday Party don't ask me if I am going to a Holiday Party, I will tell you to fuck off.

-Out

12/11: Cool Stories Bro, No.

First off I will come back in a day or so and do the full update. But anyways, this douche, name Jay wouldn't shut the fuck up about lots of things during my session yesterday. Apparently, according to him I am no good at poker and play badly.

And ftr, I just let him go on and on about stupid shit.

Spoilers: I ran well, value bet lots and made some money. I will add in some interesting hands for your reading pleasure.

-Out till tomorrow.

----And we're baaaaaack

So, to the action. I got to Capitol after a fantastic run at Chipotle always delivers. Sidenote: if you have to ask for a menu at Chipotle, you are doing it wrong. The 2 people in front of me both asked to see a menu, WTF, seriously. The answer is burrito. Always, even if you think its not, the answer is burrito. No tacos, or quesadillas, burrito.

Ok, so I walk in to Cap and to my dismay I see that there is no 6/12 running and only a list. So I add myself, and wait to be called for the new table of 4/8 that would open shortly. I sit in the 4 seat and am joined by a bunch of regs, mostly LPPs, and 2 kinda LAG spew types both black dudes one looking like Hancock with the beanie and sunglasses (definitely a necessity at 4/8, I don't see how you could win w/o them tbh). We got involved in a few hands which came out about even for me.



The other LPPs at the table were a smattering of pretty straight forward middle aged guys, and one older lady who was primed to hit and run which she pulled off nicely after hitting a 3 outer in a huge pot (7ways capped pre, and capped 4 ways on the flop).

So, as I said I am in the 4 seat and Hancock is in the 8. The first hand we got involved in was a pretty big pot in the end. I raised ATos after he limps UTG, and seats 1 and 3 limp behind both blinds and everyone else calls. Flop comes AT6 rainbow. Checks to me in position, I bet, bb calls, Hancock check raises seat 1 calls 2 cold, and the other limper folds. I 3-ball, bb folds, Hancock caps it and the other guy calls. I am pretty sure I have the best hand although, I am kinda more worried about the other guy in the hand. What the fuck could he have? I later learned that this guy, an older Greek guy wasn't really all there and wasn't necessarily of a sane mind. So the turn is a 5 putting a heart flush draw out, and Hancock checks, if I am behind I am gonna find out now, the old man does as well, and I fire. Hancock just calls and the old man folds, hmm?

At this point, I am sure I have the best hand. River is an offsuit T making me tens full. Check, bet, call. I show, he mucks A6os. Nice pot there.

We went on to get involved in some other hands with similar action. In one, I have Aces in the SB and raise a family preflop, put in 3 bets against him and 2 others, on a board of 754 rainbow. Turn was a 7, I lead, she calls, he now raises and 1 guys calls in between and I think for a while and decide to fold. I am pretty sure I am beat here most of the time and my 2 pair is no good against 3 opponent and I am drawing to 2 outs. Turns out that, the old lady had TT, he has T7os for turned trips and the other guy had a naked 6. Thoughts on this, it is probably a call, but I didn't really see him bluff raise at all.

I might have been giving him too much credit but it was the correct play for this hand, and probably not in the long run.

Now about 1 hour into my session, Nik texts me and says he is on his way down to join in the fun. I am up about 10ish bets at this point and then this hand goes down. The very next hand after the Aces hand. I pick up JT of spades on the button and 2 people limp, Hancock, and this Indian (7/11, not peace pipe. Remember, realist, not racist there is a difference). I hesitate and just call instead of raising. I have been getting into the habit of raising these types of hands for straight value here, thoughts???

So we see a flop 5 ways with the sb, and bb coming along for the ride. I flop the fucking world w/ KQ9 and the King and Queen both being spades, nuts with OESFD to the Royal weeee, checks to the Indian guy who bets out, I snap raise, folds back to our beanied friend who calls 2 cold (I put him on a weak King type hand or maybe a small flush draw). Turn is a red 4, great card. Checks to me and I bet, both call. WTF, I am supposed to hit the royal right???, River is a T basically killing the action, and hancock leads out, yada yada yada we end up chopping. FTR he had QJ of hearts.

Continuing on, I get AK shoved up my ass on the turn in a pretty big pot and I am up around $40 when Nik is moved directly to my right in the 3 seat. He sat down and had a couple hands snapped off by some pretty sick running beats in monster pots. Say it with me ayeeee yahhhh.

I guess Nik kinda turned on the boomswitch for me and I picked it up. QQ flops a set in a kill pot and holds. 88 flops a sets and gets paid on 3 streets. KJ gets 3 streets 2 ways w/ 2 pair and an extra bet on the river vs. a smaller 2 pair. I also value bet 2 hands that made me 2 extra BBs on the day. Once w/ AJ on a board of J84K3, pretty standard, and once w/ Q2 suited on a board of JJ294 but that really doesn't qualify because the guy folded but I did get the bet on the turn though.

After those hands and a $1 Fat Tire, I am up about $240ish and am poised for a bigger run. Nick takes a break and we get short. I open 22 flop a set and river a boat getting 3 streets 2 ways. Then I make top 2 purrrr with AQ and get paid on 3 streets by 1 guy.

Our table ends up breaking and Nik takes the 6/12 seat in the Pai Gow room, and I am first up on the that list. I am moved to another table with this guy Jay. To start out, we really don't have any history, he is not very attentive to who he is playing against but claims that he plays great (allegedly a 2+2er) and makes a point to tell people that they are doing things incorrectly. Word to the wise, don't do this ever, ever. And for what ever reason, if you are an ass and just have to do this, it helps to have a decent amount of chips in front of you. (I had like 500, he had 40)

He went on and fucking on about "I made 3k playing 3/6 in Reno at the Sands Regency." Then it was, "I called an all in river bet w/ JT high because I knew it was good and I knew this guy had nothing at a no limit game a couple weeks back." /coolstorybro.

It doesn't help that this guy looks like an out of work high school math teacher but smells like an ashtray. Seriously, I would rather you smell like straight shit, than Marlboro. Mix in a breathe mint bro.

I end up putting him all in, in a kill pot when I held AQ high at then end and basically my turn bet forced him to call it off, big deal. I show, I am good. He then starts his little hissy fit. I don't understand how you can be the turn (board is T552, and AQ is a pretty strong hand here, imo), what did you think I called your bet on the flop with. I wanted to say something but I was pretty obvious that he had AJ or something to that effect. I just play it coy and say I don't know, I thought you fold or something like that.

After, he reloads, we get involved in a multiway pot. Basically UTG raises, 2 calls, I 3! with red Tens, he calls 3 to the face, ok, that is AQ obv. and it ends up getting capped 4 ways pre. Flop is 974, w/ 2 spades, UTG leads, 1 call, I raise, Jay disgustedly folds, saying, "you probably have Ace high here too, great play." tyty. Anyways, UTG 3-bets and I am pretty sure I am behind to an over pair here. Until the turn...the T of spades. UTG leads, 1 call in between, I raise both call. River is a low card and I get 2 more BBs for that 2-outer vs UTG's JJ.

Fuck this has gone waaaay long. I am gonna wrap this shit up. I kinda spewed w/ KQ against a nitty guy where I felt I could get some free cards in position, it worked, I could hit any of my outs though.

Jay berates me again for raising pre w/ KJos in a kill pot and double barreling in a pretty decent spot. Oh well, w/e I got in a few more winners and racked up.

Final tally for the day in 6hrs-ish of play, I came up $380, weeeeeeeee.

I look to be back next week sometime possibly next Friday night.

-Out.

12/3: 2 Small Sessions

Part 1 - Someone Gets Locked Out...of the House


Yeah, so the original plan was to leave work around 330pm, have a pint at Brew It UP, then make it to Capitol for some 6/12. I didn't end making it down until 5, oh well Nik put me on the list as he was already playing.

I arrived at Cap and didn't even notice that they had 2 tables of 6/12 going which meant the game should be pretty awesome. I take my seat opposite Santi in the 9, he in the 6 seat. We really didn't clash at all during small amount of time we played to together. Only sat at the same table for roughly 1 hour or so.

So, hands. Nik was a up a bit when I sat down maybe a rack or so, so things were going swimmingly to start off for him. I started off pretty slow, watching Nik value town a couple guys an iso-raise pre w/ KTos and get a couple streets of value.

I raised a couple hands and took it down on the flop w/ a C-bet to keep me at even. First off, this next hand isn't anything special at first, its a chop for ffs but Nik and I were talking later, there were a bunch of ways the villain could have played the hand.

I open JT of hearts from MP, SB & BB call. Flop comes AT8 w/ 2 clubs. Checks to me I fire, SB calls, BB folds. Turn - 4 of clubs. SB checks again. I fire. The SB now, laboriously calls.

This turn play by him, I think he was a few possible hands. Now, basically w/o getting in to it, if he has a T and a club here he should CR the turn for a couple of reasons.

1- His hand has lots of showdown value HU if he has an Ace or a Ten w/ a good kicker.
2- He can put me in a real tough position w/ a hand like JJ-KK or a T w/o a club redraw.
3- If he is behind to me, and I call he still has outs.
4- He finds out if he is already beat by a flush or up against a better hand.

So back to the hand. River pairs the 8 (no floosh). He checks, I think about value betting here but I am pretty sure that I am only getting called by something better at this point, so I decide to check behind.

He tables JTos w/ the J of clubs. We chop it up. Oh well, kind of an interesting hand at second glance.

A couple orbits later, I raised AK form the SB and took 5 people to the flop, flop TPTK, and somehow I hold w/ 1 pair and get paid off by Clark (he is the owner of Capitol Casino) w/ a weaker Ace, and that was a nice pot and I am up a bit.

I whiffed a few other hands and then the phone calls started. Well, obviously, someone locked themselves out of their house and didn't remember my phone number, and didn't have a cell phone and is stuck at the neighbors :-( Supernit to the rescue.

Not before leaving this hand comes up. Feliz and Gloria have joined us now. Feliz is probably one of the more decent players at Cap and has been playing for a living for the last 2 years, I like the guy. Although he is a Dodger fan w/e we all have flaws.

So I pick up AQ of hearts in the BB in a Kill and I nit it up and don't raise pre and we are 4 way to the flop. God I suck. Flop comes Q 8 6 w/ 1 heart. Gloria checks, I bet, Feliz raises, Gloria calls 2 to the face, rut rho, weak 2 pair? I 3-bet and all call. Turn is the 3 or hearts great card. Gloria checks, I fire, Feliz now folds, maybe a hand like 99 or something like that??? Gloria still calls. river is and offsuit 5, Gloria checks, and I fire again and she tank calls, I am good. She flopped an open ender w/ 75 and paid off the river w/ a 5 nice.

That was pretty much my entire session, I left up about $155, went home, let the gf back in the house. Came back to Cap primarily for dinner w/ Nik. Sat for a little bit and made another $10 or so. Had the Kung Pao Combo for dinner, talked angle-shooting by people at tables and then took off. Nik ended up staying and playing for another few hours.

Total for the short night was $165 up in about 3 hours. I absolutely hated leaving that awesome of table but w/e life happens sometimes.

Hopefully, I won't be working next Friday and get to play some more 6/12 at a good table.

-Out